NORFOLK, Va. - Charlotte has been selected the 2014 Conference USA women's soccer preseason favorite by the league's coaches. Rachel Holden of North Texas and 49ers defender Monica Trickett have been voted the Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Old Dominion was picked to finish No. 13 in Conference USA.

The upcoming 2014 season will be the first year as head coach at Old Dominion for Hind, who previously was an assistant national coach for the Scottish Football Association, as well as former head coach at Dartmouth College. In her time at Dartmouth College, she led the Big Green to a remarkable 54-38-8 overall record, an appearance in the 2005 NCAA Tournament and three seasons as conference runner-up.

Joining Hind on the coaching staff are Michelle Barr and Mary Casey, who bring a wealth of soccer knowledge to the women’s soccer program at ODU. Barr comes to Norfolk after spending three years in her native Scotland developing the women’s soccer game at the Scottish Football Association as a National Youth Coach responsible for the Scottish National U15, U16 and U19 teams. Prior to her time in Scotland, Barr spent five years at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire as an assistant coach under the leadership of Angie Hind. Casey, a former Maryland standout, comes to ODU after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at North Carolina Asheville.

ODU, which returns 14 letterwinners from a year ago, as well as welcomes six highly touted freshmen, will play their first and only scrimmage on Aug. 14 at UMBC, which registered the second-biggest turnaround in the country just a season ago.

“I know as a coaching staff and group of players, we are very excited for the start of this season and the opportunity to lay the foundations for the future development of this program,” ODU head coach Angie Hind stated.

The Lady Monarchs will then open their regular season at the ODU Soccer Complex against Liberty on Friday, Aug. 22 at 7:00 p.m.